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1 dead, 1 in custody after stabbing at Crosby senior living facility

Heartwood Senior Living Community in Crosby is located near Cuyuna Regional Medical Center on Highway 210. The facility was the site of a law enforcement lockdown Saturday after an employee was reportedly stabbed by a relative. (Kelly Humphrey / Forum News Service)1 / 4

David Michael Otey2 / 4

Heartwood Senior Living Community in Crosby is located near Cuyuna Regional Medical Center on Highway 210. The facility was the site of a law enforcement lockdown Saturday, Jan. 13, after an employee was reportedly stabbed by a relative. (Kelly Humphrey / Forum News Service)3 / 4

A facility jointly owned by Crosby Regional Medical Center and Presbyterian Home & Services is guarded by Crosby police after a stabbing Saturday, Jan. 13, inside the facility. A news release confirmed a suspect was in custody and there was no danger to the public. (Kelly Humphrey / Forum News Service)4 / 4

CROSBY, Minn.—A woman is dead and a man is in custody on probable cause for second-degree intentional murder following a stabbing Saturday, Jan. 13, in Crosby.

According to a news release, the Crosby Police Department responded to a 911 call of a reported stabbing just after 8 a.m. Saturday at Heartwood Senior Living Community, 500 Heartwood Drive in Crosby. Officers located the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A male suspect, identified as David Michael Otey, 37, was arrested on site. He was booked midday Saturday in the Crow Wing County Jail.

"While the investigation is in its early stages, it appears the victim was an employee and the suspect is a relative of the victim," the release stated. "Police are not looking for any other suspects at this time and there is no threat to the public."

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner will provide formal identification of the dead woman following an autopsy, the release stated. Crosby police requested the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension assist with the investigation and process the crime scene.

A death investigation was underway and the facility remained under law enforcement guard Saturday afternoon. Agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension arrived at the facility about 12:15 p.m., according to an officer on the scene.

"The situation is under control," the email stated. "Residents needs are being met and both residents and staff are safe and secure. The hearts of Presbyterian Homes, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, its staff and residents all go out to all of those involved in this tragic situation."

Hospital personnel advised friends and family of Heartwood residents to refrain from visiting the facility due to the ongoing investigation, but noted staff would be available to answer questions at CRMC, located a half-mile west of Heartwood on Highway 210. The Crow Wing County Crisis Team and other support services were made available to staff beginning 3 p.m. Saturday at CRMC.

The 180,000-square-foot Heartwood Senior Living Community opened in 2008. Ninety-five residents live in the facility, which contains 50 independent living apartments, 36 assisted living apartments and 13 memory care apartments. The senior living complex employs 131 people, including 62 clinicians, 51 culinary employees and 18 support staff.

Peggy Stebbins, CRMC marketing and public relations director, reported as far as staff at CRMC knew, nothing similar to this incident had occurred at the facility in the past.

Chelsey Perkins grew up in Crosslake and is a graduate of Pequot Lakes High School. She earned her Bachelor's degree in professional journalism from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Perkins has interned at the Lake Country Echo and the Rochester and Austin Post-Bulletins and also worked for the student-run Minnesota Daily newspaper as a copy editor and columnist during college. She went on to intern at Utne Reader magazine, where she was later hired as the research editor. Before joining the Brainerd Dispatch, Perkins worked as a staff writer for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal.